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Technically, Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall are the stars of Coming 2 America, a 2021 sequel to the 1988 comedy Coming to America. Murphy and Hall reprise their roles as Prince Akeem and his best friend Semmi, from the fictional African nation of Zamunda.
But the to burst the stars are undeniably the gorgeous costumes of Ruth E. Carter, which turn every scene into a visual assortment. Or, as Hall says in an exclusive video for OprahMag.com, “[Carter] create pieces that look like a bouquet of flowers. “The triumphant final scene shows the splendor of Carter’s creations: the inhabitants of Zamunda gather in Prince Akeem’s palace, each wearing a more magnificent costume than the last.
During his legendary three decades in Hollywood, Carter worked on Malcom X, Do the right thing, and Selma, to name a few, and alongside filmmakers like Spike Lee, Steven Spielberg, John Singleton, Ava DuVernay and Lee Daniels. She gained worldwide recognition for her work on the 2018 Marvel film, Black Panther, also located in a fictional African nation – Wakanda, not Zamunda. In February 2021, she became the second costume designer to earn a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Carter was hired for Coming 2 America shortly after his Oscar victory for Black Panther. “My reaction was jubilant but at the same time it was fear. I had just done Black Panther. I was wondering how I could separate the two ideas, “Carter said in the featurette.” And I knew there would be a together lots of costumes. “
The costumes tell the story of two very different nations (and royal families). Wakanda’s silver and leather costumes exemplify the scientifically advanced nation rich in Vibranium. For Coming 2 AmericaCarter says she made “authenticity” a priority, working with more than three dozen designers to create quirky costumes that incorporated traditional fabrics and patterns. Since it was a modern take on the 1988 film, Carter also drew inspiration from contemporary African designers.
Carter’s attention to character and detail is showcased in Prince Akeem’s embroidered coat. “The coat itself is the story of the Zamunda royal family. I created an embroidery design that was the family crest,” she said. On Prince Akeem’s shoulder is a 3D printed lion, a humane tribute to the lion on the mantle of his father, the King.
Another subtle Easter egg? Meeka, Akeem’s oldest daughter (played by KiKi Layne), wears a costume adorned with Zamunda’s flag when she exercises her fighting skills against her father.
Carter was particularly thrilled to have the opportunity to outfit the many other characters in Coming 2 America. Known to have changed form throughout his films, Murphy also plays singer Randy Watson and – to Oprah’s surprise – some of the headstrong types in the barbershop scenes. “She couldn’t believe it,” Murphy said on Jimmy Kimmel Live when recalling the story. “And she saw the original Coming to America and [its sequel] and all this time I did not know. “
Carter tells OprahMag.com that her proudest moment on the project didn’t come with creating Prince Akeem’s ornate outfit, but switching between looks.
“When you make a costume for him, it’s a great feeling because he’s played so many characters in the past. So my proudest moment came after dressing him in all of his glorious King Akeem looks and then took off all the “royal” and dress her like Sal in the barber shop and then Randy Watson, “Carter says.
Carter was particularly interested in Randy Watson’s Elvis-inspired baby blue look, shown in the film’s final scene. “Sexual Chocolate made me crack. When I presented the sketch to Eddie on set, he took it around showing it to the others, laughing. I knew then it was going to work, ”she says. “30 years later, Eddie Murphy still makes us laugh.”
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For Carter, this moment was also the culmination of everything she wanted in her career. “I realized that I was living a costume designer’s quintessential dream: to create characters through costume,” she says.
See everything Coming 2 America’s costumes, with Black Pantherof, at the Carter Exhibition on Afrofuturism in Costume Design, currently on display at SCAD Atlanta through September.
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